Detroit-area show celebrates its 40th anniversary

A Rollston-bodied 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ and a 1937 Bugatti T57S won Best of Show honors Sunday at the 40th annual Concours d’Elegance of America, Detroit’s own elite collector car show staged for most of its existence as the Meadow Brook Concours, but in recent years expanded and enhanced with a move to the Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan.

Best of Show American: The Duesenberg

The 1935 Duesenberg is owned by Bill Parfet of Hickey Corners, Michigan, and won the special Hollston Coachwork class at the concours before taking the Best of Show American trophy.

Another car shown by Parfet, a 1930 Bentley Speed Six, won the Best Driving Award, presented to the car judged to be the “car we would like to drive home.”

Best of Show European: The Bugatti

The 1937 Bugatti led the special Bugatti class before being crowned Best of Show European. The car is owned by Rick Workman and his Rare Wheels Collection of Windemere, Florida.

Among special honors presented at the concours were the Spirit of the Hobby award to author and car collector Clive Cussler and the Next Generation Car Guy award to Ray Chan of South Lyon, Michigan, for his as-original 1994 Toyota Supra Turbo.

Chan’s car was part of a special Modern Collectibles class.

Sam and Emily Mann, well-known within the national concours community, were honored as Collectors of the Year and had five cars from their collection on display, and Mark Reuss, a General Motors executive, was honored as Enthusiast of the Year and displayed not only his own cars but several from the GM Heritage Center.